Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya

Kenya: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 31.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
31.6%
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
38th
of 232 countries
All-time high
59.6%
in 2000
All-time low
31.6%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 59.6 %2001: 58.4 %2002: 57.3 %2003: 56.1 %2004: 55 %2005: 53.8 %2006: 52.7 %2007: 51.5 %2008: 50.3 %2009: 49.2 %2010: 48 %2011: 46.8 %2012: 45.7 %2013: 44.5 %2014: 43.3 %2015: 42.2 %2016: 41 %2017: 39.8 %2018: 38.7 %2019: 37.5 %2020: 36.3 %2021: 35.1 %2022: 33.9 %2023: 32.7 %2024: 31.6 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya is 31.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya peaked at 59.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.6%, in 2024.

That places Kenya 38th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 54.4% 49.2% 59.6% 10
2010s 42.8% 37.5% 48.0% 10
2020s 33.9% 31.6% 36.3% 5

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 35 Lesotho 32.8% compare
  2. 36 Mali 32.4% compare
  3. 37 Mauritania 31.9% compare
  4. 39 Afghanistan 31.4% compare
  5. 40 Cote d'Ivoire 31.2% compare
  6. 41 Sudan 30.3% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya?
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya was 31.6% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 59.6% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 31.6% in 2024.
How does Kenya rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
Kenya ranks 38th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,597 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.